anonymity is over. even if you are a tor user, stylometry is the new deal.
https://www.computerbase.de/news/wirtschaft/ende-der-pseudonyme-im-netz-mit-llms-lassen-sich-im-grossen-ausmass-online-konten-deanonymisieren.96375/The ComputerBase article (based on the study "Large-scale online deanonymization with LLMs") describes the end of "practical anonymity." For users of imageboards like 4chan, leftypol, or similar platforms, this has far-reaching consequences:
- The End of "Security by Obscurity"
Previously, anonymity on imageboards relied on the fact that manually correlating thousands of posts was too labor-intensive for an attacker. LLMs now automate this process at near-zero cost.
* Significance: An algorithm can scan hundreds of a user's posts in seconds to build a profile based on interests, jargon, location clues, and activity patterns.
- Stylometry as a Digital Fingerprint
Every individual has a specific writing style (sentence structure, word choice, punctuation). LLMs are excellent at recognizing these patterns.
* Significance: Even if you don't mention your name, an LLM can compare your "writing signature" on an imageboard with posts you've written under your real name (e.g., on LinkedIn, professional forums, or letters to the editor). The "Anonymous" mask falls through the sheer structure of your language.
- Cross-Platform Identity Linking
The study demonstrates that LLMs can link pseudonyms across different platforms.
* Significance: Those who "shitpost" on an imageboard while maintaining a professional presence elsewhere (e.g., GitHub, X/Twitter) risk these identities being merged. A single minor detail in a post (e.g., a specific local event or a niche technical detail) serves as an anchor point for an LLM to identify the real person behind the post via web search.
- Low-Cost Mass Doxing
Post too long. Click here to view the full text.